Automatic steering device.



A. T. NELSON & 0. A. KLAWITER.

AUTOMATIC STEERING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED DEC. 21,

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. T. NELSON & O. A. KLAWITER. AUTOMATIC STEERING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED B12021, 1911v 1,122,794, Patented De0.29,1914.

3 SHEETS SHEET Z.

,1 W u gw/mzai A. T. NELSON & C. A. KLAWITER.

AUTOMATIC STEERING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 21, 1911.

Patented D60. 29, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ED STATES PAT AUGUST 'I.' tiELsoN arm cnantnsa. KLA'WITEB, or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, assrenons o AUToMATIc STEERING 00., or mrnwauxnn, wrsconsm.

Specification of Letters Patent.

AUTOMATIC STEERING mavron.

Patented Dec. 2e, 191a.

- Application filed December 21, 1911. Serial No. 667,094..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, AUcUsT T. NsLsoN and CHARLns A. KLAWITER, both citizens of the United States, and residents of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and 1 useful-Improvements in Automatic Steering Devices; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descrip-. tion thereof.

The object of our invention is'to provide a simple; economical and accurate means for automatically steering crafts upon a predetermined course, the construction and arrangement being such that the permanent magnet of a mariners compass primarily controls the opening 'or closing of anelectric circuit through which circuit mecha- ,nism is-put into 'mo-tion'whereby the rudder of the vessel is automatically actuated to bringthe craft back to its course, should there be a slight deflection therefrom. After the vessel has been returned .to' her .true course the electric mechanism will automatically reverse the rudder to'bring position. I

Our present invention particularly refers to that class'of automatic steering devices such as shown and'described in a patent to August T. Nelson, dated January 16, I912,

Specific objects'of our present invention are to provide means 'in gear connection with a non-reversible motor and a tiller mechanism whereby the position of the tiller is controlled, the control being effected-by electric connections from the compass to electrically controlled reverse jclutches; to provide means for automatically adjusting a pair of contact points thatoperate in conjunction with a contact finger carried by the compass, said circuit make and break mech- I anism being adapted to direct electric current into one or the other of a pair ofmag netically actuated clutches; to provide simple switch mechanism 1n circuit with a main line whereby current from the main circuit is directed into one orthe other of the pair of magnetically controlled clutches without effecting disarrangement of the compass.

With the aboveobjects in view the invention consists in certain peculiarities of construction and combination of parts as here '2, a longitudinal points the same back to its normalor fore and aftposi-te arbor 2 connection with a complete apparatus embodying the features of our invention; Fig. l

sectional view of the compassequipped with contact mechanism embodying the features of our invention, the section being indicated by line 22 of Fig. 3.; Fig. 3, the adjustable contact mechanism; Fig. 4 represents a detailed elevation of the contact pqint adjusting mechanism partly in section as indicated byline 44 of Fig. 3-; Fig. 5, a detailed cross-section of a portion of the same, the section being indicated by line '5 5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6, a detailed cross-see tlon showing the relation of the contact or brushes and compass ca rried finger, and F ig. 7, an enlarged plan view of a tension spring for holding the contact points in their proper relation to each other.

Referring by characters to the diagram view Fig. 1 of the drawings, 1 represents a motor which is in gear connection with a 'clutch arbor 2, which clutch arbor is geared to a. second clutch arbor 2",'the pair being rotated in opposite directions. The mechanism carried by each of these clutch arbors is similar in construction, which construction will be described in connection with one of said arbors and is as follows: Mounted upon the arbor is a pair of magnets 3that control afdisk clutch member 3 that is splined upon the arbor and adapted to engage a clutch disk 4: that is carried by a beveled pinion 4, the same being loosely mounted upon said arbor. The beveled gear-wheel meshes with a similar beveled gear-wheel 5 on a shaft 5, which shaft carries a gear wheel 6 that meshes with a smaller gear-wheel 6' that is secured to a controlling shaft 7 for the rudder. The opas previously stated is similarly equipped and connected to the ruddercontrolling shaft. The rudder-controlling shaft 7 is also in gear connection with a sector 8 that carries a brush pointer 8 which is normally positioned between contact plates 9, 9', the pointer of said mechanism constitutingan indicator arm or tell-tale in conjunctionwith the contact plate. By the above described mechanism it will be apa detailed inverted planview of passes from the circuit-breaker e to a 0011-. The wire 6 corresponding 15. A I nected by a w re, a, to the contact plate 9v parent that the motor driven in one direc-' tion, constantly imparts rotation to the arbors 2 and 2' in opposite directions, which motion is only imparted "to the rudder-con, trolling shaft through the gear-wheels incithe other of the beveled gear-wheels 4, with their respective arbors, through the magnets 3. The magnets? of each arbor are w red to rings 3", 3,"that are'mounted upon the ai'bo'rs and insulated therefrom; The rings ofthe arbor 2 are engaged 'bycontact springs10, 10-, and the rings of the arbor 2 are similarly engaged by coiitact springs 10", 10". The contact spring 10 is con-3' the opposite contact plate 9 bei'ng connected by-a wire I) to contact spring 10- that en- I gages ring 3 of the arbor 2, contact spring. 10 of this set of springs being connected by awire c. to the contact spring 10"o-f the opposite arbor, the wire cwbeing connected Y to a binding post, A that'forms a terminal 7 of a main feedline as shown. The com" ductor wire a is interrupted by a circuitbreaker a which isnormally closed and" occurring when, said disk is operated through-the energization of the magnets 3, a similarcircuit-breaker b be ng interposed; in the conductor wii'eqb whereby thetconi' pleted circuit of said-conductor is broken, incidental to energization of the magnets 3- that are carried by arbor2f, the'break'being" elfectedby a projection 12. that extends "from the diskB of the latter clutch mechae ance k and a secondary magnet Ii, the 015-"- posite end of the wire it being connected to the return conductor wire a. 'r'rimary relay magnets l, l,-are connected to contact points j, 7'', respectively, by conductor wires is, is,

lth' "en a ement of one or I I dental to c u c mg g g are also connected to the return wire 0.

The primary magnet z" controlsa spring which wires have terminals it", 20, that opposed armature 2"7, which. armature is drawn downincidental to' energization of the magnet and is adapted to closea circuit through contact springs g and f.

The primary magnet 11 controls a-similar armature z'"'that up'on energization of its ondary magnetji, said armature being normally held against a contact-post L by' a 86 armature 12 that is controlled by thesec- 3 suitable coiled spring as shown. The contact-post- L is connected by a conductor wire 31, to a center post 8" upon which the sector 8 and brush point revolve. A contact fingerv m s,

latorily mounted upon arpin n, the finger being adapted to make and break connecindicate'd, said brush pointf being adapted to folm contact with eitheroneof'the, con- .tact plates 9, .9, incidental to dei lection of: the rudder from; its normalifore and aft K of the rudder are controlled I oo y to a contact spring ff. The contact springs position, which rudder as shown in' the diagram for clearness of illustration is extended directly from the rudder-controlling shaft 7. It. should be-understood however that the rudder-shaft 7, in practice, is usu III tact spring e tions betweem-the :contact points i 7', j, which permanent 1 magnet thereof. The

the feed wire y ofthe main line, there being interposed therein a. resistance m.

I As shown in thediag'ram, motion is imparted to the arbors 2 and?! by an electric motor .1, brushes of which' motor are connect ed'to the main feed line binding posts A and B by conductor wires 0, o",tlie're being a double switch ;0 interp'osed in said .wires,

. contact-fingerm and to conductor Wire a is-similarly connected to a circuit-breaker f by a sectional wire 7, the terminal'of which latter w i secured '5 and .f' are arranged tobe engaged by springs g ,.g',"-wh ch are connected by a conductor w re g". a. wire h lmvmlgr interposed therein a: resist= controlled.

whereby the motor current may be manually shown in the diagram, the position of the S,- togethe r with "the rudder indicate that the vessel s traveling upon its true course, Shouldflth'eyessel -swerve in the direction indicatedby the arrow'the compass finger (tell-tale brush pointer.

as shown in the diagram, oscilfing'eiain practice, is connected to the com- T -pass, ts position being controlled by the r In the operation of the, apparatus as mEwoiild'fremain-stationary and the contact 3 wire Energizafionof the relay magnet z Thewire g'" -is tapped by will cause its armature to close. contact-between spr ngs g and e""' the said. springs. bQlngjHl circuit with the tell-talea Current will-thus pass, from the line'over wire y through armature 71' to conductor'wire e, j

finger'y'will engage the same thus bridging I I the connection 1 through conductor wire 3 3 e", to circuit breaker e and to conductor wire a. From thence the current will pass through the circuit breaker'a to the contact spring 10" and from its ring to the magnets 3, back through the opposite ring and contact spring 10. From this spring the circuit will be completed through wire c and the return wire 3 Coincident with the closing of the above mentioned circuit, current from wire y will also pass through contact spring 9 and from thence through wires 9 and 171, to the return wirey whereby the secondary coil h is energized, causing armature h to eflect a break in its con nection between post L whereby current is cut off from the tell-tale through wire y'.

Energization of the magnets 3 through closing of the circuit just described in' con ncction with closure of the circuit between contact finger j and finger m will cause the beveled gear-wheel at to be coupled to the arbor 2, whereby motion therefrom is transmitted to the rudder-shaft 7 in the direction indicated by the arrows.v This motion in turn is transmitted to the tell-tale pointer 8 through engagement with the segment 8 whereby said tell-tale pointer will engage contact plate 9. This operation will cause the tiller to be deflected whereby the boat will swerve back again upon its course and as soon as the contact point 7' disengages from finger 'm, the circuit will be broken therethrough resulting in the circuit being also broken in the primary magnet i, whereby its armature will return to normal position under spring control. This breaking of the circuit also affects the secondary mag net whereby armature 3 will again contact with post L whereby a circuit is completed and y to the tell-tale post 8". will pass through the pointer 8 to plate 9 with which said pointer is engaged, the'cur-- rent from the plate being directedthrough wire 5 to contact spring 10 that engages ring 3 of the arbor 2. Thus the current from saidring willpass through the magnets that are carried by the arbor'2, which magnets are energized, the current passing out through ring 3 to the return wire c. Ener-' gization of this set of magnets willcause clutching engagement, whereby motion Wlll now be imparted to the controller shaft 7 in the reverse direction from that just described causing; the tell-tale pointer 8 to return to its normal position between the opposite edges of the contact plates 9, 9, whereby the circuit through conductor wire is broken and thusthe entireiapparatus will come to'rest.

A ttent on 'is called to the fact that cir- From thence current opposite clutch is disconnected, this mechanical control of the circuits being desirable to prevent any possibility of the clutching movements overlapping each other. i l i A further precautionary circuit breaker is applied in connection with the segment 8 of the tell-tale, which segment is provided with lugs 8" that are adapted to 0p erate in conjunction with circuit-breakers e and f to open their respective circuits should the tell-tale pointer swing from its abnormal position in either direction.

Should the opposite contact point j be brought into engagement with the finger m i From the foregoing description it will i be observed-that the make and break mechanism carried by the compass will thus au tcinatically throw into gear one or the other of themagnetically con-trolled clutches which will each rotate the controller shaft in a different direction, it being'understood that the motor is continuously driven 1n the same directlon whereby reversal of the motor circuit is avoided, there being a primary relay for each magnetically con trolled clutch and a secondary relay that is operated through either of the primary res lays whereby an electric circuit through the tell-tale mechanism is controlled to reverserotation of the controller shaft in order to return-the tiller ,toits normatfore and aft position. 7

Referring especially to Fig. 2 of the drawings which :shows the compass and its connections, 15 indicates the compass-bowl which is provided with a centrally disposed pivot-post 16, upon which post is mounted a hollow float 16 the fulcrum point being at the intersection of ado ubleconed hub 17, the upper terminal-of which serves as a connection for the spokes 17 of a compasscard 18, the said spokes being radially extended just above a bell-shaped mouth of a second double-cone hub 19 which forms part of a cap-closure 20 that is secured to the inner Walls of the bowl and in connecfion' therewith serves as a chamber for the Y reception-of a fluid such as alcohol or the like, into which fluid the float is suspended,

the said float being of sufficient specific gravity ing post '16.

as to rest lightly upon its support- It will be ,observed that the compass-card is suspended upon a plane as near aspossible coinciding with the plane upon which the pivot-point of the float is located, the

gimbals 2l of the bowl being-also upon the result. 4 1 Pivotally secured to the bottom face of the block 27 is a pair 'of metallic plates 32,.

same line, whereby, owing to the points of oscillation being practically upon. the same 'plane there is slight oscillatory movement imparted to the mechanism, the compasscard and its fioat being further retarded against vibration due "to thetfact that the said float is provided with an annular apron to present greater surface area to the liquid. The usual compassmagnet 22 -is mounted upon the bottom of the float as shown and, owingtothe fact that the card above is rigidlyconnected to said float, the correct position relative to polarity is maintained. I

The b'dwl has secured thereto a bridge 23 that is'centrally apertured for the reception of a hollow head 24, which head is held in place by a hollow stem 25 that is in threaded engagement with the end of the head. The lower end of the "head has projecting therefrom a stud'26 upon which is mounted the hub 27 of arevoluble block 27, the same being held' in position upon the stud'by a suitable washer and cap screw 28 which engages the end of said stud. The block 27 a is preferably formed from suitable insulating material and is provided with a circular hub 27 upon which is rigidly secured three metallic rings 29, .29" and respectively. Rings 29 and 29' are engaged by contact springs 29", 29", while ring 30 is engaged by a contact spring 30'.

These springs 29" and 29 'areinsulated from the head 24 by a ring and secured to said ring thestem 25 are conductor wires In, k"-,.whichi and head by studs 31, 31, and the spring '30 is similarly connected to said head by a stud 31", all of which studs have heads that project within the hollow head as shown. Secured to the heads of studs 31 and 31'. and extending upwardly through conductorz-wires,as previously explained in connection with. the diagram view, are conneted to the'pi'imary'relay coils v1 and i.

The head of the stud 31 has connected thereto a similar wire-e which leads to the main feed wire y as shown by the d1a-. gram, it being understood, however, that i said conductor wire may tap the main line or source of. supply directly, with the same 32', the same being journaledupon pins 33.- Each plate is hel% in position with relation to itspivot poin tends through a segmental aperture m the plate and is provided with a head for ena in the latter. The upper ends of the sifilsgroject through the block. and are held by caps in screw threaded engagementtherewith. Each plate is provided with-a depending slotted ear 35-for the reception of a rack-bar $56, the-same be ng confined within the ear by 'apin 3? that projects into tween said .collars by a stud a4, whieh ex a groove 37' which is 'formed in one,face

of the rack-bar. The rear end of each rackbar, has projecting therefrom a guide-rod 38 which has sliding engagement with a second ear 38 that depends from the plate. The rack-bars are adapted to be slidably ad-' justed within theirretainin'g ears by pinions 39 which' are in meshed engagement with the: teeth of said'ra'ck-har's, each pinion being mounted upon a revoluble stud 40, which stud is journaled within an aperture formed in the rack-bar ear and a corresponding aperture in a lug4lthat projects from the face of the plate, these gearcarrying studs being provided with knurled heads whereby they may be manipulated.

Projecting from each rack-bar is a pin 42 upon which pin is mounted the hub of an arm 43 that is normally held against a stop-pin 44 that projects from the outer end of the rack-bar by a spring 45 which is helically coiled about the pin 42, its inner .apin as clearly/shown in Fig. 7.

Loosely mounted upon the free ends of the arm .43 are a series of fine platinum wirestrands constituting the contact points 7' and y. These strands depend in the form of a cone and are-held against movement in an inward direction by guide-bars 47 .which extend from collars 47 that are ,adjustably secured to the ends of thearms 43,- the said strands being held against lateral play heand rigid-collars 47 that arealsosecured to the arms. By' this arrangement it will be'seen that each of the arms are held by springs 45, securely in their and it will also be {observed that positiodi againstthe stops 49 carried by the rack bars other so as to bring. the contact points j, 7", toward each other or spread them apart as conditlons may require, this adjustment beingefl'ected by* looseningthe studs 34 and tightening the same thereafter. Further .ooil being connected to the arm hub,.while. I 1ts outer co l is anchored to the rack-bar by said arm'smay be adjusted relative to. each more-the arms43 together'with the rack-- bars upon whiclr'the are mounted may be adjusted radially wit relation to the block whereby the contact points maybe moved m.or"out.

is s'ecured, -thereto,."whereby the same may be rotated and after suchrotation the spindle is locked bya cap 51 that is in threaded en-- gagementwith the spindle=end, and zdapt ed'to impinge againsta'lmurled head 52 whereby the parts are securely tightened in connection 'with" the bridge. This adjust-' ment' of the entire headis forthe purpose of settin the course of the vessel or craft it being understood that the compass is fixed termined course the block is rotated until the coinpass card and lubber-mark indicate the desired point.

Axially alined with the block is a conical cup 53, which cup is connected to said block by a bracket the cup being adapted to receive a small'quantity of mercury and is loosely fitted within the upper conical head of the compass-carrying float hub. Immersed in the mercury within the cup 53 is a contact finger m, which finger'forms part of a conductor arm 55 that in turn is connected to one of the spokes 17 of the compass-card by a thimble 56 that is secured thereto but insulated therefrom. By this construction it is apparent that a perfect contact is formed between the finger m and cup containing the mercury, the conductor arm 5521s shown in Figs. 2 and (5 being extended outwardly between the wire strands which form" the contact points or electrodes j and j. The arms 43 also carry permanent stop-bars 43 that depend therefrom and are offset slightly back of the wire brush strands to form permanent guards or protectors against which the arm 55 will contact, should the wire strands be deflected thereby to such an extent that they would ride over the arm. 1

The bracket 54 which carries the mercurypot is connected to ring 30 of the block-hub bv a wire strand 3 which wire in effect forms a continuation of the wire y'.

By the arrangement of rings and their spring connections it will be apparent that the block may be adjusted about its axis without breaking the circuits to either the mercury-pot or plates 32, which plates are connected resnectivelv to rings 29, 29 by wire strands k as sho'wn.

From the foregoing description it will be readily understood that the mercury-pot will maintain constant electric connection between the finger m irrespective of any oscillatory or rolling movement of the compass-card, whereby friction is eliminated and. as previously described in connection with the diagram, after the course of the "essel is set and the electrodes properly adjusted with relation to the finger arm 55, any-"deviation from the proper course of the vessel will cause closing of the circuits,

whereby the tiller will be automatically defiected to correct the course and thereafter position.

ger, a steering gear, an indicator arm in gear connection therewith, contact plates disposed in the path of travel of the indicator arm, a controller shaft for actuating the arm, oppositely rotative loose gears for imparting rotation to the controller shaft, magnetic clutches in connection with the loose gears, a non-reversible motor in gear connection with said loose gears, a pair of relay magnets, a conductor connecting each contact finger of the compass and relay mag net, a return conductor connecting each relay magnet and magnetic clutch mechanism, a conductor connecting the compass finger and a source of. electrical energy, armatures for the relay magnets, a conductor connecting said armatures and thesource of energ a pair of contact springs adapted to be closed by each armature, an electric conductor connecting one pair of the contact springs, an electric conductorconnecting one of the other contact springs and one of the magnetic clutches and one of the/contact plates of the indicator arm, a conductor connecting the other contact plate of the opposite armature and the other magnetic clutch and indicator arm contact plate, a third armature in connection with the feed conductor of the relay armatures, a contact point normally engaging said third armature, a conductor connecting the contact point and indicator arm, and a controlhng magnet for said third armature in circuit with the conductor wire that connects thecontact springs of the primary armature. I

2. A magnetic steering apparatus comprising a liquid containingbowl having a cap closure provided with an open mouth, a pivot-post'projecting into the mouth, a float mounted upon the post, a permanent magnet carried by the float, a compass-card carried by said fioat'above the cap' closure, a contact finger secured to the compass-card, a bridge in connection with the bowl, a head carried by the bridge, a block pivotally mounted upon the head, the block being provided with a hub portion, conductor rings secured to the hub, a spring contact brush carried by the head for each ring, conductor wires connecting the contact brushes, means for rotating the block, ears carried by said block, longitudinal bars mounted in the ears, means for adjusting the bars longitudinally, means for effecting horizontal adjustment of the ears relativ e to each other, depending contact points carried by the bars arranged to engage the contact finger carried by the compass-card, a mercury-pot 1n axial ahnement with the pivot-post into which one end of the contact finger is fitted, means 1n connection with the bloclc for "supporting the mercury-pot, a conductor connecting each ear and an individual ring of the "series carried by the block hub, and a conductor connecting one of the rings and mercury-pot.

. thereby, a rotatory adjustable head in axial 3. An automatic steering apparatuscomprising a compass-card, a' finger carried al-inement with the compass-card and above the same, a mercury containing pot carried .by theh'ead in axialalinementwith the com- I pass-card, a downturned terminal end ex tending from the contact finger into the pot,

plates pivoted tothe head, means for adjusting the plates abouttheir pivot po'int s, ears extending'from the lates, rack-bars in 'slidabl e engagement wit the ears, adjust.-

' mg pinions in mesh with the rack-bars, arms extending-from the rackebars, a plurality of contact wires loosely suspended from the arms adaptedto engage the free end of the contactfinger, a conductor Wire in circuit with each rack-bar, and a conductor wire in circuit with themercury-pot.

4. An automatic steering apparatus com.- p risin a-compass-card,a contact finger-car- .r1ed ereby, a rotary adjustable head in s axial alinement with the compass-card and aboye the -.same, a mercury-containing pot carr ed by the head in axial alme'ment wlth said compass-card, a downturn'ed end extending from the contact-finger into the pot, arms carried by the head, contact members" in connection with. the arms for engagement with the contact-finger, means for fldJllStiIl the arms in or out with respect to the hea axis, and meansfo r spreading'or contract-1 in the arms withrelation to each other.

n testimony that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our hands'at Milwaukeejn the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin in the presence of two witnesses. 

